The Backpack

Our store is holding a back-to-school photo contest. (See Two Scrapbook Friends blog!) With all the great photos being entered, I thought I would look at the pictures I took of our youngest son on his first day back to school this year and when I did, there it was – the backpack. Now, this was no ordinary backpack. Oh no. According to my son, it was ‘the’ backpack; a must-have, very cool addition to his back-to-school experience.

We, as parents, tried not to give in to this purchase for a number of reasons. First of all, it was white and even though he is in high school, he is still a boy with all the dirt attached. Secondly, it was expensive and he did not have the money to pay for it. Third, would he really take care of it, love it and cherish it, as he promised he would? After much debate, and given the fact that he wears a uniform to school which cuts down on clothing costs, we gave in and bought it for him.

I’ll admit, the backpack became part of our family. It was often at the dinner table with us (with homework spread out everywhere), or on the floor so we could trip over it, or greeting us when we came in the door. Until one day when the sad news came. The backpack was lost! Lost! How do you lose a backpack that you swore you would love and cherish forever?

Well, I guess it all happened when he went out to lunch with a couple of his friends. He was sitting in the fast-food restaurant with his backpack on the floor between himself and the aisle. As he was eating, he saw an elderly gentleman slowly coming down the aisle with a walker. I am sure this man reminded my son of his grandfather, who also used a walker for a while, and my son instinctively moved his backpack under the table so the gentleman could pass with no problem. When lunch was done, they returned to school and it was then that my son realized his backpack was not with him. Numerous attempts were made to find the backpack but alas, it seems to be gone for good…

So, as you might have guessed, he now owns a plain, inexpensive, all black backpack, but has promised to never stop being considerate of others regardless of the consequences.